Monthly Bulletin
AUGUST 2023
St. Mary’s Parish
Polish National Catholic Church
365 Burrows Ave. Winnipeg, MB R2W 1Z9 • Tel. (204) 586-3825
Rev. Bob Kay – Administrator
Email: office@stmarypncc.ca
Website: www.stmarypncc.ca
Celebration of the Eucharist and Mass Intentions:
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD, August 6, 2023
10:00AM – † Anne, Marion Tylipski
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
XIX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 13, 2023
10:00AM – † Anna, Lucien VanDenBussche
St. Mary’s Day
BBQ Lunch after Mass
Please bring Lawn Chairs for Sitting
Price $20
XX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 20, 2023
10:00AM – † Jerzy Kukuła, Howard Butler
XXI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, August 27, 2023
10:00AM – † Władysław, Józef, Julia
LITURGICAL CALENDAR FOR AUGUST 2023
August 3 – Finding the Body of St. Stephen
Saint Stephen, the protomartyr of the Catholic Church, was stoned to death by the Jews in the year 36. He was buried twenty miles from Jerusalem, on the estate of Saint Gamaliel. The precious relics of Saint Stephen were discovered there in the year 415. The body of Saint Stephen was placed beside the body of Saint Laurence, in Rome.
August 6 – Transfiguration of the Lord
The feast of the Transfiguration of Christ celebrates the revelation of Christ’s divine glory on Mount Tabor in Galilee. After revealing to His disciples that He would be put to death in Jerusalem, Christ, along with Ss. Peter, James, and John, went up the mountain. There, St. Matthew writes, “he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.” The brightness was not something added to Christ but the manifestation of His true divine nature.
August 15 – Assumption of the BVM
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life is not defined as a dogma of the Polish National Catholic Church. The Feast of the Assumption, celebrated every year on August 15, is a very old feast of the Church, celebrated universally by the sixth century. It commemorates the death of Mary and her bodily assumption into Heaven before her body could begin to decay-a foretaste of our own bodily resurrection at the end of time. Because it signifies the Blessed Virgin’s passing into eternal life, it is the most important of all Marian feasts and a holy day of obligation.
August 24 – Bartholomew, Apostle
In St. John’s Gospel, Bartholomew is known by the name Nathaniel. He hailed from Cana in Galilee, was one of the first disciples called by the Lord. On that initial meeting Jesus uttered the glorious compliment: “Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!” After the Resurrection he was favored by becoming one of the few apostles who witnessed the appearance of the risen Savior on the sea of Galilee (John 21:2). Following the Ascension, he is said to have preached in Greater Armenia and to have been martyred there. While still alive, his skin was torn from his body.
August 27 – Our Lady of Częstochowa
The legend says that after Jesus’ crucifixion, when the Virgin Mary moved to St. John’s home, she took with her some personal articles, among them a table made by our Redeemer in St. Joseph’s workshop. The story continues and says that when the pious women of Jerusalem asked St. Luke to do a painting of the Mother of God, he used this table to paint the image.”
August 29 – Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
The death of St. John the Baptist is reported in varying amounts of detail throughout the synoptic Gospels and Mark and Matthew report the event with the most detail. In Mark’s Gospel, John was arrested and imprisoned because of King Herod’s fear of him. John had been openly censuring Herod for taking his sister-in-law as his own wife, and Herod was afraid that John’s preaching would start a revolt against him.
Although Herod feared John, he would not kill him because he knew John was a righteous and holy man, and he liked hearing John speak. Herodias, Herod’s wife, did not share his respect for John and looked for any chance to have him killed.
COMMEMORATING THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED IN THE ST. MARY`S CEMETERY (PERPETUAL CARE):
We have been asked to keep the following people in our prayers: Michael Prach, Helena & Mikołaj Benczarski, Christina Walton, Helen Chmielowiec, Walter & Stella Maciurzynski, Konstanty Jackiewicz, Very Rev. Waclaw Cwieka, Christine Maciurzynski, Marianna Janiszewska, Anne & Marion Tylipski, Jessie Chorniuk, Walter Fedon, Rev. Tadeusz Czelen, Frank Payonk, Veronica Sosnowski, Eleanor Dutkievicz, Sofia Gryz, Mary Skrypetz, Myron Mischuk, Stanley Bidowski,
August Birthdays: Banaga Kristine /11/, Gatiwan Renz /18/, Osadick Helen /18/, Feliciano Jenny /20/, Feliciano Samson /24/, Lorraine Fedon /26/
DAILY INTERCESSION FOR OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND
The following are our brothers and sisters of St. Mary`s who are currently homebound, suffering from chronic illness, in recovery or in need of special prayers. Especially: Sofia Wolejszo, Chantalle Witon, Helena Wolejszo, Lloyd Mazur, Bernice Payonk, Rose Budzinski, Halina and Edward Mandat, Janina Dzwonek, Patricia and Claude Caya, Lorraine & Donna Fedon, Helen Krokosh, Mary & Larry Golembioski, Brenda Owsianyk, Emily Wasney, Martin Mikolajczyk, Elaine VanDenBussche, Jennifer Bathan, Gail Grywinski, Grazyna Markiewicz, Zofia Janecki.
GIVING TO YOUR PARISH – SIGNIFICANCE CAMPAIGN
Earlier this year all parishioners received letter from Parish Chairman Ted Maciurzynski regarding 2023 Significance Campaign. This year we’ll focus on funding ongoing expenses – utilities, insurance, and taxes. Only these expenses cost us over $16,000 last year. Please help us! We are asking for financial help, because without these necessary expenses, the parish cannot exist. We cannot pay taxes, gas, hydro, water, or insurance. These expenses must be paid to keep the church open. As always, all donations to the Significance campaign stay in your church and all donations are fully tax deductible. Thank you to all who have donated to this campaign in past years. I know you will see the Significance of this campaign. This year, I encourage you to be generous and continue to demonstrate how Significant this church is for you.
SUPPORT PARISH CEMETERY
If you wish to support St. Mary’s cemetery, please consider buying a plot for you or family members. Members of St. Mary’s Parish who are in good standing (pay yearly membership, attended Sundays and holidays Masses, also support financially parish) pay less.
PARISH MEMBERSHIP. If you have not paid your 2023 Parish Membership dues, please do so by the end of the year. Dues are $100.00 per year for adult members.
August 15 – The Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Our parents most certainly taught us not to point. This, of course, is a lesson in politeness and common courtesy. Unfortunately, this lesson sometimes gets in our way of our Christian duty. During the month of August, we reflect on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was the first to point to Jesus, when she held him out before the shepherds and the Magi. Later she pointed to him at Cana in Galilee saying, “Do whatever he tells you.”
We cannot imagine the Blessed Virgin as being impolite or lacking in common courtesy, yet she spoke boldly in telling the servants to do as he tells you. We can think of St. John the Baptist as being bold and unafraid. Both Mary and John are on the same page when it comes to Jesus – point to him, Demand that the people Follow him, demand what the people do whatever he says. Pointing people to Jesus is contagious. John pointed and his followers went to follow Jesus. They then went and pointed others to Jesus: Family members, friends, and people they didn’t even know. Some of these people follow Jesus and point at others to Jesus. Pointing became exponential.
When it comes to Jesus and his Holy Church, it is time to recapture the fun of pointing. It is time to be bold. Of course, always point in love – Because when we point to Jesus and His Church that is what we are offering – The incredible gift of God’s love called Grace.
We use this month to point family member, friends, and those we do not know to Jesus. Will all follow, we will all do what he says?
Certainly not, but unless the gift is offered, pointed to, they may never know it exits. Give them the chance and point now.